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A Rapid, Sustainable, One‐step Mechanochemical Strategy for Synthesizing Gold Nanoparticle‐Doped Covalent Organic Frameworks

Journal Article · · Chemistry - A European Journal

Doping gold nanoparticles within covalent organic frameworks (AuNPs@COFs) has garnered enormous momentum due to their unique properties and broad applications. Nevertheless, prevailing multi-step synthesis is plagued with low time efficiency, eco-unfriendliness, and tedious protocols. Herein, we introduce a rapid, sustainable, scalable, one-step mechanochemical strategy for synthesizing up to four AuNPs-doped COFs via steel ball milling within an hour under ambient conditions. This approach overcomes the synthetic barriers of conventional multi-step solution-based methods, such as extended reaction times (5 days), milligram scale, the use of toxic solvents, elevated temperatures, and reliance on external reducing agents. One exemplary AuNPs@COF (AuNPs@DMTP-TPB) exhibits high crystallinity, porosity, small AuNP size, and uniform dispersion (5.4±0.6 nm), surpassing its counterpart synthesized via multi-step solution-based methods (6.4±1.1 nm). Notably, the gram-scale synthesis of AuNPs@DMTP-TPB can be successfully achieved. Control experiments suggest that the in situ formation of AuNPs is attributed to the galvanic reduction of gold precursor by stainless steel apparatus. As a proof-of-concept catalytic application, AuNPs@DMTP-TPB demonstrates remarkable catalytic activity and recyclability for the aqueous reduction of 4-nitrophenol under ambient conditions. This study provides an environmentally benign and fast pathway to synthesize AuNPs@COFs via mechanochemistry for the first time, opening tremendous possibilities for heterogeneous catalysis and beyond.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES) (SC-22), Scientific User Facilities Division (SC-22.3 )
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231
OSTI ID:
2572887
Journal Information:
Chemistry - A European Journal, Journal Name: Chemistry - A European Journal Journal Issue: 22 Vol. 31
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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